Thumb tack



@du 16, 1934. JgRL-:UTER ETAL THUMB TACK Filed Jan. 1e. 1935 I, l 1 umHIHI'I Huhn. MHH. l i

ORNEY A Patented Oct. 1,6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE TEUMB TACKJoseph Reuter, Brooklyn, and Joseph Rothenbucher, Astoria, N. Y.

This invention relates to thumb tacks usually consisting of a broadcrowned head having a nail or spike secured and extending centrallytherefrom and are variously used for fastening sheets to a supportingsurface, such as a sheet of drawing 'paper to a board, and in order tosecurely fasten the same to its supportl the nail or spike is forcedthrough and perforates a marginal portion of the sheet necessitating theproviding of a sheet of oversize so that the perforated margi` nalportion may be trimmed from the sheet.

It is the object of the invention to provide an improved thumb tack andclamp and method of producing ,the same. 15V In the drawing accompanyingand forming a part of this application Figure 1 is an elevationalviewrof our improved thumb tack and clamp.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an end elevation looking at the left of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan viewu of a blank from which the thumb tack and clampis constructed.

Figure 5 is a side view looking at the bottom of Figure 4.

Figure-6 is a View similar to Figure 5, but showing an end portion indifferent positions in the folding or bending of the blank upon itselfin the forming of the' thumb tack and clamp.

Figure 7 is a plan view to show the use of the thumb tack and clamp infastening a sheet of drawing paper to a board.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of Figure 7 lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a side elevation showingthe use of the thumb tack and clampfor fastening and suspending a sheet in vertical position from a 40supporting surface; and

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing another manner ofsupporting an article from a vertical supporting surface lby the tack.

The combined thumb tackV and clamp is constructed of yielding,preferably resilient, metal by stamping a blank from a strip or sheet ofmetal j 'and shaping the same to final form.

In the method of carrying out the invention a blank as shown in Figure 4is stamped from a strip or sheet, the opposite ends of the blankpreferably being arranged to arcuate shape and a face of said cndportions of the blank roughened, as at 9, 9', to simulate a milled orknurled surface. The blank is bent or folded upon itself intermediatethe ends so that the roughened surfaces will be in opposed relation, asshown in Figure 2.` The blank adjacent one end intermediate the end andportion on which the blank is folded is provided with a perforation orelongated opening or slot 10, and the blank adjacent the opposite endand intermediate said end and the fold of the blank is provided with aspike or nail 11 to extend from the face having the roughened portions9, 9', as shown in Figure 5. While this spike 'may be constructedseparately from the blank and secured thereto, it is preferably formedfrom the material of the blank, as by stamping a portion from the blank,as at 12 in Figure 4, and then bending such portion to extendsubstantially at a right angle to the face of the blank, said spike asthe blank is folded being engaged in and extended through the opening.10, as shown in Figure 2.

To facilitate a predetermined folding or bending of the blank it isprovided with a recess of arcuate shape in cross sectionl to extendtransversely of the blank intermediate the ends, as at 13, and saidportion when the end portions of the blank are positioned in contiguousrelation to each other forming in effect an eye.

In fastening a sheet to a support, such as a sheet of drawing paper 14to a board 15, the' spike or nail is entered partly into the board whenthe marginal portion of the sheet is engaged between the roughenedsurfaces and the spike is then pushed home into the board drawing theportion of the blank carrying the spike to the opposite end portion andthereby firmly clamping the sheet between the end portions beyond thespike and the spike securely fastening the sheet to the board. Or ifdesired the sheet may be positioned between the end portions 9, 9' priorto the forcing of the spike into the support.

To facilitatethe releasing and removal of the spike from the board thee'nd portion carrying the spike may be of somewhat greater length thanthe end portion with the perforation 10, and the marginal portiondeected or flared laterally, as at 16, to permit of the ready engagement'of a finger nail or an implement below the same to release the spikefrom the board.

In -Figure 9 there is shown the manner of fastening and suspending asheet 17 by the spike relative tol a vertical surface, such as a wall,the spike being extended through the sheet and into the support. InFigure 10 afurther method is shown of supporting an article relative tothe vertical surface of a support, as by the frame 17' of a picture. Inthis instance the frame is supported by clamping it to the wall by theportion 9,

. the spike being entered into the wall above the spike formed from thematerial of and bent to extend at a right angle from a face of the stripmidway between the fold and the opposite end of the strip and adapted toengage in the opening, and the portions outward from the opening andspike adapted to clamp an article between the same and one extremityflared laterally to serve as a nger grip for the ready release of anarticle clamped between the same and removal of the tack from a support.

2. As an article of manufacture, a thumb tack consisting of a. metallic.strip folded upon :itself intermediate the ends, one folded portionmidway the length thereof arranged with a spike and the other foldedportion arranged with Aa slot adapted for the passage of the spike asthe strip is folded upon itself, the folded portions outward from thespike being :dat and adapted for the clamping of a sheet therebetween,and the extremity of the spike carrying portion extended beyond the fiatportion and flared laterally from the slotted portion.

3. A thumb tack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the opposed faces of theportions of the strip outward from the opening and spike are roughenedand adapted to serve as a clamp, and the margin of the end of oneportion of the plate extending slightly beyond and ilared laterally ofthe other portion of the plate to serve as a ringer grip Ior the readyrelease of an article clamped between the same and the tack from asupport.

JOSEPH REUTER. JOSWH ROTHENBUCHER.

